"It's irresponsible to have such a dysfunctional, faction-ridden Labour Party running the country. Ministers are more concerned about saving their own political skin than actually getting Britain out of the monumental mess we are in.

"We cannot go on like this. The only responsible thing the Government can do is call a general election."

Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield:

"I welcome it. I want to have a rational discussion, have a secret ballot on Monday...and clear this out of the way.

"There are many of us that still passionately believe that if you have a party leader whose personal rating is well below his party's, then you have to look at the leadership and if you also have a leadership whose main lieutenant is relying on the traditional Labour vote and giving up that cross-country coalition that the Blair administration built, it is a disaster.

"The PLP has been manipulated by Gordon Brown and by the whips to stop us having an open discussion and having a vote."

Margaret Beckett, former Labour foreign secretary:

"A number of people have been agitating behind the scenes, to no particularly useful purpose as far as I can see, for some time. I'm very sorry to see any colleagues, of any stature, joining them.

"I personally believe, and have believed for some time, that there is no one better fitted to lead his country and his party than Gordon Brown ... We would be completely mad to even think about getting rid of him."

David Blunkett, chairman of Labour's general election development board and former home secretary:

"What really matters, rather than the manoeuvrings of paid professional politicians inside the Palace of Westminster, is building support for the Labour Party in the country.

"The ballot being called for is not possible according to our party's rules, it is not wanted by the Parliamentary Labour Party and, what is more, it is not needed."

Frank Field, Labour MP for Birkenhead:

"I support a secret ballot among all backbench MPs on the leadership question."

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington:

"Rank and file Labour Party members will be aghast at the renewed factional in-fighting at the top of the party – just at a time when we are campaigning on people's doorsteps to save a Labour Government.

"People want changed policies and changed politics, not leadership coups. They want ministers and MPs to put the interests of the party and the country before their political careers."

John McFall, Labour MP for West Dunbartonshire and chairman of the Commons Treasury Committee:

"I know Geoff and Patricia are retiring, so they have no stake in the future, so it seems a bit odd to me ... We are a few months away from the general election. There was an opportunity last summer to have a challenge and it was ducked, so I don't for the life of me see why we are having it at the moment."

Labour Party spokesman, in a statement:

"There is no provision for a secret ballot of MPs within the Labour Party constitution or rules, nor is there any provision whatsoever for a leadership election to be open only to MPs.

"Not only, therefore, is this idea unconstitutional, it is not wanted and not needed."

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, the UK's biggest trade union:

"To proceed as Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt suggest would split Labour in the run-up to a vital general election in which the political and economic dividing lines between Labour and the Tories are already clear.

"They are tearing up the party rule book as well as political common sense. This initiative should be abandoned, and all Labour MPs should concentrate on what millions of Labour supporters want – working flat-out in unity to avoid the disaster of a Tory victory at the forthcoming general election."

Dave Prentis, general secretary of the trade union Unison.

"The general election should be about politics, not personalities. Neither Patricia Hewitt or Geoff Hoon are standing for re-election so will not have to live with the consequences of what they have done."